Romania Wants To Conclude Negotiations With U.S. On Missile Shield This Year - President

"The United States of America remains our strategic partner and main ally in the field of security. Currently, our cooperation takes the shape of the missile defense shield, whose timeliness has been confirmed by the recent NATO summit in Lisbon," said Basescu.

Romania's priorities for its relations with the U.S. this year include "close political cooperation and a solid economic relationship, through intense trade and increased American investments in Romania," he said.

"The new strategic concept adopted by NATO in its November 2010 Summit backs up our conception of security, turning the Alliance towards new types of threats: ballistic missiles, energy insecurity, cyber-attacks. In 2011, we will contribute to the implementation of the decisions adopted in Lisbon, including NATO's internal consolidation on the basis of the reform proposed by the current secretary general. We will continue to take part in the allied operations and in the strengthening of NATO's political action through partnerships, firstly with the European Union and the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. The Russian Federation can also be an important partner in ensuring regional security," said the president.

The fourth round of Romanian-American negotiations on the antimissile shield took place in Bucharest on December 14, 2010.

On February 4, 2010, Romania's High Council of National Defense accepted U.S. President Barack Obama's invitation to take part in the adaptive development of the European anti-missile defense system. According to the new approach, Romania's entire territory will be protected against short- and average-range missile threats.

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